People who have been to Rome

[txflood33]

wife and I will be on a cruise in Oct that starts in Rome. We will be landing at noon local time on Sunday and the cruise leaves at 5:00pm on Mon.

 

I'm kind of taking Monday out of the picture for sight seeing because checkout is at noon and then we have to get to the boat and all of those shenanigans. So, based on that, how much will we get to see?

 

I think the Colosseum is the biggie and I can't imagine not having enough time to see it.....is it a tour? Is it like the Grand Canyon where you walk up and gaze at it's splendor and then check it off the list?

 

I'm not sure how far apart things are....we are staying at the Crown Plaza if that helps. Vatican City? Sistine Chapel? Trevi Fountain? Too much?

 

Are these walking places? Cabs? Subway? Horseback? :D

[margeecruiser]

Hi. I'll try to answer some of your questions, but I've only been to Rome 3 times, so I'm no expert. You say you are getting to Rome about noon. You will be jet-lagged if you are coming from the US. There is a drive into central Rome from the airport and then a long ride from Rome to the port. I would make arrangements with a private tour company, such as romeinlimo, for airport pick up, tour of Rome and then to your hotel. You could reasonably tour the Collesium (sp), outside only of the Vatican, the Forum area and maybe some other sites, but these would only be drive-bys. The Collesium tour takes about 60-90 minutes if you rush. No way to go inside Vatican IMHO. If you go to the romeinlimo site, they have tour info and contact info. They will tailor a tour so you can see as much as possible in a short time. They use Mercedes sedans for up to 4, and minivans for larger groups.

 

Good luck! You will wish you had more time. We've done Rome in a day, Rome in 3 days and Rome in 6 days. We always wished we had more time.

 

Margee

[helpthejuggler]

Horseback would raise a few eyebrows, plus you can't get a decent sized horse in a carry on.

 

Your hotel is on the outer part of Rome and is closest to the Vatican City. It is a 10-15 min taxi ride. ...traffic?.

 

Colosseum. Yes at least from the outside. You can tour the inside, but not essential.

 

For me St .Peters is the other thing not to miss. Even from the outside it is worth the visit, but go inside the Basilica. A good place to take a taxi to from your hotel. From there you can walk or take tram, bus or taxi to the colloseum.

 

Most other sites Trevi, Forum, Spanish steps, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Vittorio can be reached on foot from there and are nice in the evening. You will need a basic tourist map...easy to obtain.

 

Download Toms port guide for Rome before for logistics.

 

If you have a smartphone download the Tripadvisor Rome guide (needs no data to use it). It gives some great walking tours.

 

Enjoy Rome

[margeecruiser]

The Juggler has hit it perfectly. St.Peters is amazing. You can cover a lot on your own, but a guide will tell you so much more. We cannot walk as well as we used to, so for us, some guide/car/driver worked best.

 

Margee

[RickT]

I agree with helpthejuggler.

 

My concern for you will be what time will you actually get to your hotel. The last few times we have flown into Rome (via Frankfurt) it took us almost two hours after landing to finally make it to our hotel (bags seem to take forever, traffic, etc). Between that and the jet lag our only plan for the first day was to rest and try and have a nice dinner.

 

If you find you are later getting in and tired, perhaps just a stroll to the Piazza Novona with a nice meal? If you are up to it, even just walking by the Colosseum is pretty cool.

 

Good luck. Enjoy Rome and your cruise.

[SadieN]

Plan on being at your hotel around 15:00.

 

The Pantheon will be closed if it is raining. Also on Sunday a lot of shops and restaurants will be closed. So will most supermarkets. If you need anything there is a sundry shop in the Ghetto. There will be some restaurants open in the tourist areas and in Trastavere.

 

The Coliseum has scaffolding around parts of it. They are cleaning off years of grime. DD lives in Rome and has a great story about the bus system last weekend during the dual canonization. The bus driver forgot his route and they circled the Coliseum until he figured it out.

[SadieN]

Just checked where the Crown Plaza is (Via Aurelia Antica 415). That's no where near the tourist areas of Rome. It will be around an e20 cab ride to the historical sites. Also because it is outside the Aurelian walls the cab ride will not be a flat rate from FCO but metered +luggage fee. Around e50-e60.

 

There are busses but the Sunday schedule is dreadful.

 

It is near the largest park in Rome, Doria Pamphili. DD lives southeast of the park.

 

***

If that is your hotel and you want to see the sites I'd stay somewhere else.

Plenty of BnBs in Rome.

 

***

 

Only horses we've seen in Rome are ridden by the police. Kindof of odd hearing the clip-clop of horseshoes thru the 8th floor window.

Edited May 7, 2014 by SadieN

[Grannycb]

Unlike the others, we would spend most of our time at the Colosseum. The first two times we were in Rome we were on the drive-by type tours. We really wanted to see inside the Colosseum so went back for several days to walk around the city. The inside of the Colosseum was awesome. We took advantage of one of the jump the line deals and had a very short wait to get inside. While the Vatican was outstanding, there isn't enough time to do more than a drive-by. Save that one for another trip. One of my favorite spots was St. Peter in Chains. It has the beautiful Michelangelo sculpture of the horned Moses, the tomb of Pope Julius II, and beautiful art. Google it or read the reviews on Trip Advisor. You could easily fit that into your time and it is near the Colosseum. Oh, and there are outside cafes near the Colosseum. It's fun to sit there with a drink or dinner and look at the Colosseum.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Grannycb

[taglovestocruise]

we stayed at the Crown Plaza last year. They have a twice a day bus that costs about 3 euros PP each way. In the morning they drop you off about 1/8 mile from the Vatican. In the evening they pick up near the center of town. I remember it being about a 10 minute ride. We used it every day and found most everything within walking distance. Beware of Taxis, we were caught in a rain storm and paid 30 euros for the ride back to the hotel (he took the long way back about 30 minutes instead of 10). We just couldn't wait 2 hours for the scheduled pick-up time. FYI, we used a shared ride with Bob's Limo from the hotel to the luggage drop-off at the pier for 80 euros for two. happy cruising

[txflood33]

Great stuff...keep it coming

 

we already have transportation set up from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the pier...so beyond that it's just explore a little of Rome while we have time

[navybankerteacher]

I'm inclined to differ- much of the impact of the Colisseum can be gained from a drive by while en route from airport to hotel - just ask your driver to circle it. The inside is essentially ruins and offers little to augment the experience of seeing it from the outside. After dropping your bags at your hotel, you should go to the Vatican - you will not have time for the tour of the museum and the Sistine Chapel, but St. Peter's Basilica should be seen from the inside - and will take no more time than trying to get into the Colisseum.

 

Then, in the evening, you should take a taxi to the Trevi Fountain - which is best seen after dark - you can grab a reasonably priced supper at one of the many restaurants in the area, then take a ten minute walk to the Spanish Steps - also beautiful at night.

[sail7seas]

I agree about a taxi ride by the Colisseum. Have the taxi go round twice. A tour inside would eat up too much of your time.

 

See St. Peter's, Vatican Museum is way to huge to even make a dent with the limited time you have, see Trevi and Spanish Steps. See Piazza Navona if you can..... it's fabulous.

 

Whatever you see, enjoy it. Rome is a huge city with so many attractions and so much to see and do, on many visits, we didn't see everything we would have wanted for as long as we would have wanted.

 

It's one of my favorite places we ever visited in all our travels.

 

Edited May 8, 2014 by sail7seas

[cruisemom42]

It truly is a matter of interest and opinion.

 

Seeing the inside of the Colosseum is a wonder hard to duplicate, with the underneath substructure partially visible (where the animals and gladiators waited), the structure for the seating, the holes for the rigging for the velarium (awning), the entrances (with their Roman numbers, so Romans would know which one was closest to their seats)....

 

Well worth it! (She says, after having visited the inside 4 times and anticipating a 5th later this year).

 

As to St. Peter's -- it's beautiful IF that's your wheelhouse. But I'd take the Colosseum any day.

 

 

To the OP: You CAN count on doing something on Monday morning before you leave, but some things will be closed, so do check in advance what's open Sunday vs. Monday.

 

Also, if you pre-purchase your ticket online to the Colosseum before leaving, you won't waste any time waiting in line. (Or if you don't purchase it in advance, get it at the Palatine Hill entrance rather than the Colosseum entrance, which is always very crowded.)

[Nebr.cruiser]

I enjoyed going inside the Colosseum too. And, BTW, the Roman Forum is right beside the Colosseum, seriously, less than a block. That area is all very compact.

 

What we enjoyed the most was the Colosseum, Pantheon, St. Peter's and the various piazzas, like Navona, and just soaking up the ambiance of the charming streets.

 

Be prepared for a long security line to get into St. Peter's Basilica, but it is worth the wait. (This varies, of course). You won't have time for the Vatican museum, and I'm not sure what time the basilica closes.

 

Best bet to see the most is to hire a car tour that takes you to the main sites.

 

Much of central Rome is very walkable, but you are going to be really, really wiped out after the long flight. I doubt if you will make it to the hotel, much before 2, or later.

 

We walked everywhere, but we had a B&B near the Colosseum and toured Rome at the end of our cruise. You will need to figure out your transportation from the hotel, then maybe even the Hop On-Hop off buses, if running on Sunday would work.

 

You may have time for a little sight seeing on Monday, but I wouldn't plan on much as the port is quite a drive from Rome and you are still going to be jet-lagged and especially since your hotel is not in the historic center.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Nebr.cruiser

[OzKiwiJJ]

It all depends how you think you will feel after your flight, and whether you want to force yourself to stay awake until it's a reasonable time to go to bed local time. We've arrived in Europe after a 24+ hour flight from Sydney and have been able to do a considerable amount of sightseeing after our arrival. We prefer to so that as it forces us into the new time zone. We're not young and we're not very fit but we manage it.

 

I'd suggest getting a taxi to the Colosseum. Book online for your ticket so you can go inside, it is worth it. http://www.italy-museums.com/colosseumtickets/index.php. Then walk through the Forum to the other side. It's not a big area.

 

If you're still feeling OK get another taxi to the Piazza Navona, then walk to the Trevi Fountain (less than a mile), making sure you go past the Pantheon. From the Trevi Fountain you could then walk to the Spanish Steps (also less than a mile). There are plenty of restaurants along the way so you could stop for a meal and a rest.

 

The Vatican Museum opens at 8:30am. Again book online. Get there early and go straight through to the Sistine Chapel. There is a shortcut from the Sistine Chapel directly into St Peters. Info here: http://www.italy-museums.com/vaticanmuseumtickets/index.php. If you don't dally too much in the museum, and are able to dodge the queues you should see most of the good stuff.

 

Then go back to your hotel for your pick-up, board your ship, and collapse ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We stayed in Rome for several days many years ago. Can't remember the hotel name but it was close to a lot of sites. We chose to book tours through the hotel.

Maybe you can go over to Rome a couple of days earlier?

[euro cruiser]

The Pantheon will be closed if it is raining.

Quite the contrary, when it rains that's where all the tourists head so they can see it rain inside the building.

[euro cruiser]

Landing at noon means leaving the airport at 1 PM and getting to your hotel around 2 or so.

 

You have to know your own body and, even when you do, you don't necessarily feel the same way every trip. Generally I prefer to get outside the minute I get there and spend as much time as possible outside in the daylight, that's what helps me adjust. Therefore, I would head to the Colosseum on arrival afternoon (given the distance from the hotel, by cab) and spend two or three hours enjoying the Colosseum, Forum, and/or Palatine Hill. If the area intrigues you, you can return the next morning because the ticket is good for two consecutive days.

 

Again, assuming that you get to bed reasonably early on your arrival night, odds are that you'll be up early the next morning, between the time change and excitement about the upcoming cruise. You will have time to explore that morning, which would be a good time to see St. Peter's. The basilica opens at 7 AM and it's great to see it nearly deserted.

[ducklite]

I agree with Cruisemom that you will have time to do something Monday morning--the Spanish Steps and Trevi would be wise choices. I also agree with those who suggest your hotel is really outside the tourist zones and highly suggest looking at something closer--keeping in mind that savings you might be seeing can be eaten up by increased transportation costs. When in Europe, time is money, and to maximize your time you need to spend a bit more money to be closer to the action. It's a shame to spend the cash to go all the way there to end up spending half of your possible touring time just traveling to the places you wish to see.

[EvilBanker]

The line to get Colosseum tickets can be horrendously long (when DSO and I went during a land vacation, the people who were at the back of the queue still hadn't reached the front when we left two hours later). If you can't use the web to arrange tix ahead of time, buy your tickets at either the Palatine or Forum entrances - the same ticket covers all three, and both of those have MUCH shorter waits (like, 15 minutes at the Palatine and usually nothing at the Forum). Then just breeze right past the queue at the Colosseum. :D

[sail7seas]

I agree with the others that if you can change your choice of hotel, you could make better use of your time for touring. Rome is a very large city and if staying on the outskirts, you waste too much time in traffic.

Roman drivers are a real treat. Traffic lights are a suggestion, pedestrians are moving targets the goal of which is to hit them and if they can't park their small cars in a designated space, they simply pull up on the sidewalk to park. :D Yet we love, love, love Rome and never, ever got enough of that fabulous city.

 

Speaking of traffic... Don't cut it very close with your transportation from Rome to Civitavecchia. There sometimes can be horrid traffic back ups. Leave yourself ample time, just in case.

Edited May 8, 2014 by sail7seas

[SadieN]

Quite the contrary, when it rains that's where all the tourists head so they can see it rain inside the building.

 

 

The Romans built the building with a hole in the roof (for light).

Rain comes in, floors get wet, marble gets slippery, Pantheon gets closed.

 

It might stay open during a drizzle but not the during the gulley-washer rains I've experienced there.

[SadieN]

we stayed at the Crown Plaza last year. They have a twice a day bus that costs about 3 euros PP each way. In the morning they drop you off about 1/8 mile from the Vatican. In the evening they pick up near the center of town. I remember it being about a 10 minute ride. We used it every day and found most everything within walking distance. Beware of Taxis, we were caught in a rain storm and paid 30 euros for the ride back to the hotel (he took the long way back about 30 minutes instead of 10). We just couldn't wait 2 hours for the scheduled pick-up time. FYI, we used a shared ride with Bob's Limo from the hotel to the luggage drop-off at the pier for 80 euros for two. happy cruising

 

 

Unfortunately OP doesn't have a full day to utilize the hotel shuttle. (That's an excellent price.)

[euro cruiser]

I'm sure they do close the Pantheon occasionally in an extreme storm, but generally they just rope off the center area where the drains are and visitors can walk around the remainder of the building.

[QueScaisJe]

If you do plan on visiting inside the Colosseum, I recommend booking the underground tour. The tour lasts for about 75 minutes and gets you access to several restricted areas off-limits to most visitors: the subterranean level where the gladiators and exotic beasts were kept; the ground-level stage where the gladiators fought those beasts; and the upper third-level with magnificent views over Rome. Great photo ops! Very much worthwhile even if you've "done" the Colosseum before.

 

You can get more info from the official Colosseum ticket site http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

When we visited in 2012 we could book/buy the tour online, but it appears that you have to call them now.